Soap holder



Feb. 13, .1934. R, s, U E dRb 1 ,946,884

SOAP HOLDER Filed Jan. 13, 1933 s sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR- 1934- R. s. RufHERFoRD 1,946,884

SOAP HOLDER Filed Jan, 13, 19:53 SSheets-Shest 2 INVENTORQ R053 5 K ur/v'zzroz i ATTORNEY 1934- R. s. RUTHERFORD SOAP HOLDER Filed Jan. 13, 1953 3 Sheets-sheaf 3 INVENTOR- v 11 OBEY/KS Sfivn/zxrozz:

ATTORNEY- Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE a soarnomma' Bobbins S. Rutherford, NewYork, N. Y. Application January 1a, 1933. Serial No. 851,561

5 Claims.

This invention relates to soap holders which include liquid containers or dishes and has particular reference to cooperating grid or wire mesh trays therefor.

It is usual, after using a piece or tablet of soap, to place it on some adjacent article, so that it may be convenient when wanted for use on a second or subsequent occasion; and as a quantity of film of water or washing fluid remains attached to the tablet and slowly drips or de scends therefrom, to lodge on the said article at the bottom of the tablet, as has heretofore been the case, one of the objects of this invention is the provision of means for supporting the soap in such a manner as to prevent the descending fluid from lodging in connection with the tablet and its support.

Therefore, since the descending liquid does not accumulatearound the bottom of the tablet, because of the features of the said'means, softening of the soap, with consequent waste, does not take place, and the tablet is maintained in the desired dry or normal condition, always properly ready for use, to secure another object of the invention.

A further object is the provision of an organization in which the constituent elements are so coordinated structurally and functionally as to assure improved results with inexpensive material which is of attractive appearance and easy to manufacture and keep in a clean and sanitary condition.

since the wire of the tray, which is rust proof, conforms in part with the features of the liquid container, a further object is to utilize the inherent resiliency of the wire, at least in one aspect of the invention, to bring about a novel combination in which the elements engage in mutually embraced relationship.

The constructional features include a frame for carrying the supporting wires, and yet a further object of the invention, in another aspect thereof, is so to dispose the frame, in connection with the wires, that it may serve as a top guard or outer boundary retaining means for a tablet of soap, and may at the same time be utilized for spacing the bottom portions of said wires from the supporting surface or ground, so that the descending fluid may escape, clear of the bottom of the tablet.

In order to secure still further objects of the invention, the contacting area between the soap and its support or tray is reduced to a minimum; the support is so spaced from the bottom of the container as to insure free circulation of air,

with consequent accelerated evaporation of m0is- J ture; because of the aforesaid reduced area, removal of the soap from the tray is facilitated, and the accompanying elements are very easy to keep clean.

With the above indicated objects and advantages in view, and others which will hereinafter appear, the essential features of the present improved constructions are herein clearly described, and fully-illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

, Fig. 1 is a top plan view'of a container on which is mounted a soap tray.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a slightly reduced plan view of a modifled form of the invention.

Fig. 4 shows a horizontal section which is taken on the line 4-'-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a section like that of Fig. 4, but showing a further slight modification.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail view, in which a modified form of wiring connection is illustrated.

Fig. '7 shows, in connection with a recess in an existing structure, a sectional views of another simplified soaptray.

Fig. 8 is a sectionalview of a frame or band and associated wire tray.

As represented in the section shown in Fig. 9, a wire tray embraces the top of a rigid band, and as the latter is provided with a bottom, the structure is in the form of another container or dish.

Fig. 10 illustrates, in top plan view, a container in which a further modified form of tray is disposed. v I

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view, in which another means of attaching a wire mesh support to a frame is illustrated.

Fig. 13 shows yet another modification, this be- Eng also a soap tray.

Fig. 14 is a top plan view of a still further modified form of soap holder.

Fig. 15 is a central section taken on the line 15-15 of Fig. 14. 1 v Fig. 16 illustrates, fragmentarily, yet another modified structure, and:

Fig. 1'7 is a detail view.

Similar characters of reference are applied to corresponding parts throughout the various v1ews.

Constructed of enamel ware, as represented in the present instance, although other materials, such as vulcanite, may be used, a dish or liquid container, generally numbered 10, includes a bottom 11, opposed inclined side or lateral walls 12, 1s, and similarly inclined end walls 14, 15.

These'walls have at their top portions a continuous flat outer margin or boundary flange 16.

Mounted on the flange 16 is a wire frame, which includes unitary lateral sections or portions 17, 18, and end sections 19, 20, the ends of the single wire of said sections being metallically Joined at any convenient point. Transverse wires, each alike and numbered 21, are terminally mounted on the lateral sections of said frame, there being on said wires curled ends 22, 23, which are struck on, or otherwise formed around the wire of the frame.

Cooperating with the wires 21 are longitudinally disposed wires 24, and as these latter wires have also curled terminals 25, 26, which embrace the sections 19, 20, the structure provides a wire mesh support for carrying soap in cake or tablet form. The wires 21, 26 are of less diameter than that of the frame, and as the assembled elements are metallically joined or welded, as by dipping or tinning, the tray is sufficiently strong, even when thegauge of the wires, especially those which are mutually crossed, is comparatively small.

The wires 21 are inclined upwardly and outwardly, as at 21'; between bottom horizontal portions, as shown, and their curled terminals; and as the wires 24 are similarly inclined, this being as at 27, below the sections 19, 20, the result is that the tray and associated container 10 are mutually embraced with a resilient fit, which'is convenient when moving or handling the device.

Instead of being lineally crossed as represented in the drawings, the wires 21, 24 may be interwoven or laced; the particular number of wires used may vary, and the openings between these wires may'be according to requirements.

The dish or container illustrated in Fig. 3 is the same as the structure of Fig. 1, except that in the former the ends 29, 30 are arcuate in form to receive a wire frame 33, the end sections 31, 32 of which are similarly curved. In some instances the curve of the ends 29-32 may differ from that shown or may extendfurther along the lateral portions of the structure; in other words the device may be of oval formation, to carry an article of that outline.

On the frame 33 are parallel spaced cross wires 34 which, except at the ends of the device, are alike; and between these wires, in the novel organization, are space parallel wires 35, the ends of which, on said frame, engage the ends of the first mentioned wires 34. This arrangement causes the whole of the cross wires to be obliquely disposed, relative to the sides of the frame, so that, on the longitudinal central-line, all of the wires are uniformly spaced, and then alternately adjoining and rather widely spaced at the said sides.

This method of spacing the wires provides a structure which is economical of manufacture. It is easy to keep clean and gives general satisfactory results in practice. The method is continued to the curved ends of the frame, where some of the wires, which are attached as at 36, 37, become shorter.

Except for these latter attachments, the wires 34, 35 are mounted on the frame 33 in the same manner as the wires 21 are attached to the aforesaid sections 17, 18, there being curled ends, generally numbered 38 on one side of the frame 33, and ends 39 on the other side. This construction also includes lateral inclined wire portions 40, 41, at inclined walls 42, 43; and opposed inclined end portions, as at 44, 45, so that this container and its tray are also mutually embraced.

Instead of terminally mounting separate cross wire lengths or portions 34, 35 on a frame, a single wire 49 (see Fig. 6) may be used on a frame 33; then a portion 46 of said wire is taken first below the frame and afterwards above and around it, this being at 47, following which a continuation 48 of the wire is passed below the first mentioned portion 46, so that the ends 48, 49 may extend obliquely to the opposite section of the frame. This construction may be set upmanually or otherwise, with the opposite ends of the single wire turned as at 50, and metallically fastened.

The frame 33a of Fig. 5, in which the section is also taken on the aforesaid line 44, is identical with that of Fig. 3, as are the cross wires, except that the inclined portions 40, 41 are omitted, and saidcross wires, as 34, are first passed below the frame, with ends 38', one of which is shown, passing above and around said frame.

The frame 330, in this case forms a guard to retain an article or tablet of soap on the grid or parallel wires, and in order to bring about mutual cooperation between elements, a pair of wires 51, 52 embrace the frame 33:: at one of its ends, while a pair of wires, not shown, embrace the opposite end of said frame. On one end 320. of this frame is a wire 53, and the opposite end of the frame may have a similar wire.

Depending from the wires til-53 are terminals 54, each alike and shown perpendicularly to the frame, in the present instance, although they may sometimes be difierently positioned; and as these terminals are bendable and capable of being easily turned into suitable positions to engage container walls, as 42, 43, this construction also results in mutually embracing elements. But the frame 33a may be used without any container, in which case the members 54 serve as legs to space the top portion of the tray from any supporting surface 55.

In an existing or well known structure or basin 56, Fig. 7, is a recess 5'7, on the bottom surface 58 of which, and also on the drain apertures, as 59, soap has heretofore been placed. With this construction I provide a simplified and convenient soap holder or tray which includes a wire frame 60, the outline of which may be the same as the wire frame of Fig. 1.

Cross wires 61,-spaced apart like the wires 21, are disposed on the horizontal central plane of the frame 60, and on these wires are formed terminal rings 62, which embrace said frame. A longitudinally disposed cooperating wire 63 is also terminally mounted on said frame, and although the latter wire may not be required in some cases, the arrangement may include a plurality of these wires in others. Below the aforesaid plane, the frame spaces the wires 61 from the surface 58, to insure freedom of escape of water or washing fluid from a tablet of soap; and, above the plane mentioned, said frame serves as a guard or retaining means for the tablet.

As illustrated in Fig. 8, a frame 64, which may be of suitable metal, is the same in outline or in top plan view as the frame of Fig. 1. But this frame 64 is in the form of a band, the opposed walls 65, 66 of which are vertical to the supporting surface. The cross wires, as 67, of this frame are also spaced apart like the wire 21, and their ends, which are alike, include downwardly turned portions 68, which engage the inner faces of said 5 walls. These ends then pass below the edge 69 of said walls and are turned upwardly, as shown.

One longitudinally disposed wire 70 is illustrated and other similar wires may be used. Liquid or water descending from an article carried on these wires 67 escapes below the frame, since the ends 68 prevent the edge 69 from engaging the supporting surface.

The wire tray shown in Fig. 9 is identical with that of Fig. 8, although it is inverted. But Fig. 9 illustrates a container in which, cooperating with the opposed walls 71, 72 is a bottom '73. Descending liquid is therefore held in this container, and the top portions of its walls serve as a guard or retainer for a wet or saturated article carried on the wires 87.

As illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, a container which may be of vulcanite includes, above a bottom 74, vertically disposed side walls 75, 76, and end walls 77, 78, and these walls may have a top flange 79. Within this container is a removable tray or soap support, also of vulcanite. which includes lateral portions 80, 81 and end portions 82, 83.

But the structure of the said Figs. 10 and 11 may also be of other materials, such as metal or celluloid, in which case the transverse members and outer band, as 84, may also be mutually joined, such joining being metallic, as by brazing, in the case of metal, or by a liquid solvent when made of celluloid.

Terminally vulcanized to the portions 80, 81 are equally spaced parallel strips or bands 84, the top edges of which, as here illustrated, are flush with the top edges of said portions 8083; and as these edges are disposed below the plane of the top of the container, the latter, at the flange 79, forms a retaining guard for any supported article; The strips 84 may be of limited depth, so as not to extend completely to the bottom of the container, and these strips may be so spaced apart that the fingers of a user may be inserted between them for removing the tray. This tray, which, like its container, may be of any required color, may be used separately, as in the case of the tray illustrated in Fig. 7.

Fig. 13 partially illustrates a tray in which cross wires 85 are mounted on a frame 86 in the same manner as the showing of Fig. 5, and any number of longitudinally disposed wires 87 may also be used. Instead of having supporting legs directly,

below its outer member, this tray is provided with legs 88 which are attached to the cooperating cross orlongitudinal wires, as shown. Four of these legs 88 are sufficient, but any greater number may be used.

A wire frame 89, Fig. 12, has disposed below its lower surface a mesh support in which the cooperating wires 90, 91 are obliquely positioned. The ends of each pair of these wires are crossed, as at 92, below the frame, following which the ends 93, 94 are turned above and around said frame.

A container such as that shown in Fig. 9 may be used without a top tray 6'7, 68, instead of which a tray like the device shown in Fig. '7 may be used inside the container, on its bottom wall 73. The container walls, as 71, 72, may then be of any required height; a tablet of soap may be supported on the tray within the container, and on top of the latter any cover, not shown, may be utilized. This structure may be used as part of a traveling kit. I The structure of the modification of the inven tion shown in Figs. 14 and 15 may involve, in

placed upon this'flange may also gravitate more to materials, detail of parts, proportions, capacipart, some of the features disclosed in Figs. 1-7 and 12, 13. As shown in Figs. 14, 15, a container 10 includes a top flange 16', which, oval in outline, is inclined inwardly and downwardly from its outer to its inner portions, so that an oval frame 33' of a wire tray, as shown, may te nd to, urge itself automatically downwardly, by its own weight, and thereby rest snugly on said flange. Any moisture or liquid descending to or easily to the bottom 11 of the container.

This frame 33' is provided with wires 52', the lower ends 54' of which are bendable and engage the inner face of the wall of the container, to bring about further relationship between the units. The top ends of these wires 52' are rigidly curled around said frame, and any number thereof may be used.

Commencing from a point or end 95, a relatively fine wire, which is rather diagrammatically shown in Fig. 14, continues in the form of a number of loops or bends 96 from one end of the frame to the other, where, at 97, it is turned around said frame and passed in a number of like turns 97, and loops 98. to the commencing point to join, as by welding-the first mentioned end.

The loops 96, 98 are crossed in laced or interlocked relation, as at 99, and although not necessarily welded thereat, said' turns 97 are preferably metallically attached to the frame.

The description immediately foregoing, applying to one side or longitudinal half of the structure, is equally applicable to the other side, there being a starting point, loop 100, loops 101, turns 102 around the frame, and loops 103, which are interlaced at 104 with said loops 101. The respective loops 99 and 101 are also interlaced centrally at 105.

In that, referring to Fig. 16. a container 10a includes a continuous shoulder 106 and a step 107, on which rests a frame of a tray, as 80, said container is also modified from the showing of Figs. 14, 15. This container has also a flange 16a, and an advantage thereof is that said continuous shoulder tends to grip the frame for also bringing about mutual embracing relationship, in the compact arrangement, between the cooperating parts.

Considerable particularities of description, as

ties and utilities are hereinbefore stated. but it will be understood that these statements, made with particular reference to the elements now preferred, of the many other possible embodiments of the invention which are contemplated, are not in any way to be taken as limitative of the invention. Inasmuch as many other changes could be made in the constructions-at present disclosed, and many further apparently widely difierent embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it

' is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the definition of the invention contained in the following claims is intended to cover all the specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall between those set forth.

In other words, the scope of protection contemplated is to be taken solely from the appended 150 claims, interpreted as broadly as is consistent with the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In combination, a liquid container having an open top, a boundary flange therefor; an endless wire member conforming in shape with said flange at the inner portion thereof; cooperating spaced wires of relatively small diameter disposed in the top opening for supporting a tablet of soap after use thereof, said wires having their ends engaged on and extending below said member whereby to space the latter from said flange, so that liquid descending from the soap or from the hand of a user to said flange may flow into the container.

2. In combination, a liquid container having side walls which form an open top, an endless wire frame supported by said container and conforming to the shape of said walls at the top, spaced wires having end portions curled around said frame, said wires including portions which are disposed below the plane of said frame for carrying a tablet of soap, and bight portions depending from said frame and intimately engaging said walls.

3. In combination with a liquid containerhaving side walls which form an open top, an endless wire frame supported by said container and conforming to the shape of said walls at the top, said frame having its inner face aligned with the inner face of said walls; spaced wires having end portions engaging the flrst mentioned face and passing over said frame, to the lower surface thereof, whereby to space said frame from said walls, portions disposed below the plane of said frame for carrying a tablet of soap, and portions integral with the respective first and second mentioned portions and intimately engaging the second mentioned face.

4. In combination, a liquid container including downwardly and inwardly inclined side walls which form an open top, an endless wire frame supported by said container and conforming to the shape of said walls at the top, said frame having its inner face practically aligned with the inner face of said walls; spaced wires of relatively small diameter having and portions engaging the first mentioned face and passing over and around said frame to the lower surface thereof, whereby to space the latter from said walls, portions disposed below the plane of said frame for carrying a tablet of soap, and inclined portions integral with the respective first and second mentioned portions, said inclined portions being intimately engaged with the second mentioned face.

5. A soap holder including in combination a liquid container comprising side walls which form an open top, a boundary flange for said walls; an endless wire frame conforming to the shape of said flange at the inner portion thereof; cooperating spaced wires including end portions which pass over the top of said frame and which extend below said frame to space the latter from said flange, said wires having bight portions which depend from the first portions to intimately engage the inner face of said walls, and portions continuous with said depending portions and disposed below the plane of said frame for carrying a tablet of soap after use thereof, the spaces below said frame being adapted to facilitate descent of liquid from said flange into the container.

ROBBINS S. RUTHERFORD. 

